Mourvèdre Blend, Domaine la Roque

70% Mourvèdre, 20% Syrah, 10% Grenache

Even though this wine also hails from the slopes of Pic Saint Loup, Château La Roque has not been allowed to add ‘Pic Saint Loup’ to its label since 2017, after the region was granted AOC status. Why? Because the appellation requires that at least 50% of the blend be Syrah, while old-vine Mourvèdre is the backbone of this gorgeous biodynamic cuvée. Notes of black cherries, iron, and blood orange coalesce in a plush and approachable bottling that would give many Bandols a run for their money.

The picturesque landscape surrounding the historic Château La Roque appears largely unchanged from how it must have been two thousand years ago. Ownership has changed hands many times since the Romans were first here, yet the soul of this special place remains intact. Romans were said to have planted the first vines, and Benedictine Monks created the sturdy vaulted-ceiling cellars that still house the bottles today. Wine growing resumed in the thirteenth century when the de la Roque brothers planted new vines. By the 15th century, another branch of the de la Roque family added glass blowing to the farm’s production.

Hand harvested. Completely de-stemmed. Fermented with indigenous yeasts. Fermented in cement tank. Aged in demi-muids [2,3,4, and 5 years old] for 18 months. Aged in bottle for 6 months. From the estate's oldest vines, it's a plummy, dark-fruited wine, ending with hints of licorice on the long finish. Full-bodied and sturdy but rich, velvety and pure, it should drink well for at least a decade.